A midweek Lenten sermon based on John 20:21-23 that covers the Office of the Keys and Confession from Luther’s Small Catechism. Preached 3/13/2013 at Emmons Lutheran Church, Emmons, Minnesota

At the beginning of the service, I mentioned that tonight, we were going to be looking at what is perhaps the least known or understood part of the Small Catechism, which is “The Office of the Keys.” When I said that, perhaps some of you were wondering “Did Pastor Martin misplace the keys to his
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I. OF CONFESSION AND THE LORD'S SUPPER IN GENERAL.
1. Although I have often preached and written on the Lord's Supper and Confession, yet annually the time appointed for the consideration of these subjects, for the sake of those who desire to commune, returns, and so we must review them in a
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Preached 1/31/2010 at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, Little Cove for a joint service of the McConnellsburg Lutheran Parish.

Today is a big day for all of us in the congregations of the McConnellsburg Lutheran Parish, isn’t it? Today, for the first time in two years, you have your own Pastor in your pulpit. Now I hear that in the time leading up to my arrival, Pastor Joe Hall did a wonderful job as a part time supply
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Concordia Lutheran Church
Lent 5, Wednesday, March 24, 2010
By His Stripes: Healing Wounded Relationships
Forgiveness and Absolution
† IHS †
May you realize the incredible grace of God our Father, paid for by Christ’s suffering and death, convince you that He has cleansed you
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Confession and Absolution helps us approach God with humility and confidence.

Did you and your friends ever form a club when you were growing up? Perhaps you draped blankets over the couches in the basement to serve as your clubhouse, and to get in everyone had to speak the password. Well heaven is a club like that. Only those who know and speak the password will get in.
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A short 3 week mini-series on prayer. Week 1: the basics. Week 2: Prayers of thanksgiving and praise. Week 3: What are intercession, supplication, and prayers of confession.

I. Introduction
Good morning! I hope you all had a great week; I trust it was full of the Lord’s blessings. I’m sure it was. I hope you were able to see the countless things in your life which come from God, which are His blessings. I hope then that you were thankful, had a heart of
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If we want complete absolution for our sins and full recovery from our failures, then we must bow before Jesus as our Sovereign Lord, believe in Him who was scorned, bank on His substitutionary sacrifice; then we can benefit from his victory and success.

Max Lucado, in his book Facing Your Giants, talks about Rogers Cadenhead, who upon the death of Pope John Paul II, registered www.BenedictXVI.com as a new internet domain name before the new Pope’s name was even announced.
Now, the right domain name can prove pretty lucrative. For example,
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Before approaching communion, we are admonished to be in right relation with God and the Church; this is accomplished through Reconciliation.

Feast of the Purification/Presentation
February 2, 2009
Sacramentum Caritatis
St. Luke must have had a terrific sense of humor, history and irony. He also knew his Bible–especially the prophets like Malachi. The picture here in Malachi is apocalyptic. The Lord visits His temple and purifies
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There are some powerful applications to what we receive from God when we’re adopted by Him.

OPEN: I read the true story of a woman who explained that her favorite spot at the local zoo was the “House of Night”, where nocturnal creatures crawled and flew about.
She said “One very bright day, I stepped into the exhibit and was plunged into total darkness. Almost immediately, a small
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